Film industry in B.C. gets green light to restart production

WorkSafeBC released its Health & Safety Protocols for the motion picture industry this month, giving the film industry in B.C. the green light to restart production activity after the COVID-19 outbreak that brought production to a sudden end since mid-March.

With a safety plan in place, all film and TV productions are now permitted by the B.C. government and WorkSafeBC to restart. Studios will be required to develop and implement their own safety plans to resume operations, and just like most other industries resuming after the COVID-19 outbreak, there will be a number of changes on the way they operate.

Although B.C. continues to have a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people, that does not apply to film productions.

Among the new WorkSafeBC protocols for the motion picture industry, include:

• Limited number of cast and crew on set.
• Crew to have their personal radio and mic sets for exclusive use.
• Crew encouraged to travel in their own vehicles when possible, and fewer crew members will be aloud per shuttle ride when needed.
• Hair and makeup artists to be assigned to one performer at a time.
• Masks will be mandatory for the crew when physical distancing is not possible.
• Self-serve catering will be eliminated and replaced with packaged options.
• Background performers may be limited and will be asked to wear their own clothes when possible.
• Cast and crew members travelling from outside B.C. will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering the province.

The third-largest film production centre in North America, Vancouver is referred to as “Hollywood North” because of the large number of blockbuster movies and TV shows that come to film every year.

Being situated in the heart of Hollywood North, the film industry in Vancouver gives LaSalle College Vancouver’s Digital Film & Video students a clear advantage when it comes to learning film production and gaining valuable industry connections. For recent graduates of LCV's Digital Film & Video diploma program, this marks a new beginning as the industry opens up again and production resumes.

Source
https://www.creativebc.com/
https://vancouversun.com/category/news/local-news/